New Joiners - People #553

A really unique viewpoint makes this image of a group of Massai really stand out from any images before I have seen of the tribe. We really do get a sense of hierarchy from the low angle the image is taken and the wonderment of the space we know they are looking into, but is not revealed. The exposure is very well controlled given how the camera would want to expose for the brighter highlights in the sky and the framing works incredibly well with the little boy high in the tree. A really unique shot that stood out in this competition. Very well done.

A wonderful example of an environmental portrait of an individual captured at work. We can only imagine the endeavor and hard work that this person must go through each day judging by the equipment they have and the size of the space in which they work. The photographer has captured this scene really well. Great use of light on the face and clothes with good exposure and saturation in the picture. A very well observed image. One that makes us appreciate how lucky most of us are. Great capture.

The positioning of the camera and taking several steps back allows for the setting to take center stage within this controlled and set up portrait. The use of black and white allows the two people in shot to really stand out against the woodlands they are placed within and making them small in shot works really well as we have to spend time looking at them to fully understand what we are looking at. I could see this as part of a larger project. Well done.

Faultless and flawless are what I first imagined when I saw this image. Incredible technique and lighting really adds to this winning image. This studio portrait is about control and knowledge from the photographer whilst also getting so much out of the model. The confident pose and stare into camera, head titled to catch the light works perfectly and the subtle colors that blend so well together from the top the model wears to the detail in the hair and make up to the appropriate colored background all work in harmony together. The tight crop allows us to focus our attention on the sumptuous details in what is a superb portrait. Incredible skill. Well done.

The intensity comes from several key areas within this image. The highly saturated colors of the man and the blue sports top he wears against the pitch black night sky, The tight crop that shows the concentration on the his face as he stares down maybe the opposition and the low camera angle all add to a wonderful sports picture without really revealing the game played. Stunning and unique. Well done.

Superb positioning to isolate the drummer against the crowd so we get a sense of the environment without really showing much of it at all. I love going in close to this image and looking at the individual faces and seeing each unique expression. I can only imagine what they are feeling and what the drummer is feeling too within this well seen and controlled image. Really different take on a gig photograph. Well done.

It's amazing the abilities that camera phones now have but you still need a skilled person behind them with the ability to see great images for them to truly work well and this photographer has captured a powerful and intense image. The very tight macro crop into the small detail of the face and the intense blue eye that stares out of shot is really well judged and controlled. The exposure is perfect and the way the focus falls off from the point of focus works really well and just shows the skill of the person behind the camera phone. A great image. Well done.

A classic image of a gentleman down the pub. The intensity of stare back at the camera suggest they may not be too happy having there picture taken or more likely they are posing for the camera having been asked. The placement of the glasses between the beer mats works well as does the pint placed perfectly in the middle of the frame. The jacket colors really stand out against the traditional working mans club surroundings. A picture that will only get better with age and tell future generations why these places existed. Great shot. Well done.

A stunning collaborative photograph which shows the potential power of communication within photography. This image could not have been taken to such a very high standard without the approval of the subject. The image has great clarity within the main subject and the tight crop and background blur works really well in detailing the man and the amazing adornments around his neck and arm. The light paint they wear adds interest and takes him away further from the darker tones in the background. Great technique and a superb image really stands out within this competition. Well done.

A timeless classic of a slice of culture that seems to be slipping away. The couple having a drink in the pub is wonderfully observed and the image feels as if we are viewing them through time with the well controlled vignetting. The slight wide angle lens gets the right amount of detail and information into the shot so we see the surrounds they are spending time in, The use of black and white adds that sense of nostalgia which works very well and I love how the lady is staring out of shot with her hands on her lap. A beautifully judged environmental portrait. A classic. Very well done.

This fun and spontaneous capture makes me smile when I look at it and not many images can do that. The timing by the photographer is perfect to catch the person mid air against the others who have stern looks on their faces as they can't imagine what the photographer has asked the individual to do. The colors work well from the warm oranges and reds in the clothes to the graduated soft blue sky in what is a fun capture. Well done.

The smile says it all in this well controlled and taken picture which is fun and infectious. The tight crop and quality of light on the face works well and the blurred background allows for the individual and birds to take center stage. I love the bird on her head looking down. I'm not sure I would want to be in her position but a great capture.

Great technique and a tight crop to really isolate the individual within the frame. We get to see him in thought which then makes us start to think about the person in shot and the type of life they have lead. We can get some sense from the image, like the hands and hair but it is the quality of controlled light and photographic treatment that gives the subject their dignity. A stunning and well seen and controlled street portrait. Really well done.

The natural light works well in this sober but beautifully judged and taken street portrait. It does not scream out at us and nothing stands out and that is its wow factor. Everything is balanced so we get to look around the frame measuring each area equally. I can imagine this been part of a larger series. That I would really like to see. Great image. It really tells a story.

The subtle dark vignetting around the edges of the frame gives us a sense of greater depth within this picture. The beautifully controlled exposure brings out the best in the flowers and the clothes the lady wears especially against the more neutral greens in the out of focus background and we get to see that wonderful smile with the light reflected back onto her face which really illuminates the entire image. A stunning environmental portrait. Well done.